Reviews

Stone is one of the most beautiful and enduring building materials, and to exploit its qualities one must be aware of a number of specialized techniques. Both Pleasant's and Reed's offerings will allow readers to use stone as a creative material outdoors. These titles are in some ways very similar, showing readers a variety of techniques used to shape and place stones in their yards and providing ideas for creating paths and walls. They diverge in approach and depth Pleasant's title places a greater emphasis on gardening and landscaping details such as plant selection, while Reed's provides much more information on actually building things (and, as one might guess, building with stone is a lot of work). Both titles are well written and beautifully illustrated throughout. Larger collections will want both of these wonderful books, but if libraries are forced to choose only one, then Pleasant's gets the nod because of its wider appeal to both gardeners and builders. Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.